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Trivia: Musical Terms

Subject : trivia
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A drama where the words are sung instead of spoken.






2. A Boroque dance with a drone-bass.






3. Harsh - discordant - and lack of harmony. Also a chord that sounds incomplete until it resolves itself on a harmonious chord.






4. A single line of music played or sung. A musical sentence.






5. A symbol in sheet music that returns a note to its original pitch after it has been augmented or diminished.






6. Refers to the tuning of an instrument.






7. Often used in overtures - a composition that uses passages from other movements of the composition in its entirety.






8. A direction in sheet music indicating the tempo is to be very fast.






9. A lighthearted piece - written in several movements - usually as background music for a social function.






10. Originally an improvised cadence by a soloist. Later it became a written out passage to display performance skills of an instrumentalist or performer.






11. A musical composition written solely to improve technique. Often performed for artistic interest.






12. A loose collection of instrumental compositions.






13. Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played grandly.






14. A symbol indicating the note is to be raised by one semitone.






15. The keyboard of a stringed instrument.






16. A musical form where the principal theme is repeated several times. The rondo was often used for the final movements of classical sonata form works.






17. A portion of the range of the instrument or voice.






18. The first tone of a scale also known as a keynote.






19. To repeat a previous part of a composition generally after other music has been played.






20. Three notes played in the same amount of time as one or two beats.






21. A repeated phrase.






22. Pertaining to the loudness or softness of a musical composition. Also the symbols in sheet music indicating volume.






23. One of the two modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a positive affirming character.






24. Sliding between two notes.






25. A composition written for three to six voices. Beginning with the exposition - each voice enters at different times - creating counterpoint with one another.






26. A system of notation for stringed instruments. The notes are indicated by the finger positions.






27. A musical scale having five notes.For example: the five black keys of a keyboard make up a pentatonic scale.






28. Eight full tones above the key note where the scale begins and ends.






29. A hymn sung by the choir and congregation often in unison.






30. The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus.






31. In sheet music - an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord.






32. A quick 20th century dance written in double time.






33. Vocal composition written for three or more solo parts - usually without instrumental accompaniment.






34. Male singers who were castrated to preserve their alto and soprano vocal range.






35. The frequency of a note determining how high or low it sounds.






36. The opening section of a piece of music or movement.






37. Arranging a piece of music for an orchestra. Also - the study of music.






38. The period of music history which dates from the mid 1700's to mid 1800's. The music was spare and emotionally reserved - especially when compared to Romantic and Boroque music.






39. A musical form where the melody or tune is imitated by individual parts at regular intervals. The individual parts may enter at different measures and pitches. The tune may also be played at different speeds - backwards - or inverted.






40. A short or brief sonata.






41. Groups of tones that are harmonious when sounded together as in a chord.






42. A person with notable technical skill in the performance of music.






43. A piece of music written for two vocalists or instrumentalists.






44. The seventh note of the scale where there is a strong desire to resolve on the tonic.






45. A musical composition that has a romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations.






46. Harsh - discordant - and lack of harmony. Also a chord that sounds incomplete until it resolves itself on a harmonious chord.






47. Creating variation pitch in a note by quickly alternating between notes.






48. Quick repetition of the same note or the rapid alternation between two notes.






49. A dirge - hymn - or musical service for the repose of the dead.






50. Ability to determine the pitch of a note as it relates to the notes that precede and follow it.